Box-covering machine.



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G. B.'.B'ALDWIN.

` BOX GOVEEING MACHINE. APPLIUATION FILED JA1.25,19o7. 984,641 Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

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C.4 B. BALDWIN.

BOX GOVBRING MACHINE. APPLICATION PILPD JAN.25,1907.

984,641 Patented P61121, 1911.

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BOX-COVERING MACHINE.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. BALDWIN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Covering Machines, of which the following is a specication.

In the manufacture of boxes having their exterior surfaces covered by paper or other material applied with an adhesive, two machines are generally employed, viz z-a stripping machine for applying the covering material to the side walls of the box, and a topping machine for applying the covering material to the top or bottom of the box. This use of the two independent machines and the consequent double handling of the boxes causes much inconvenience and delay in the process of manufacture, besides making it necessary to use a considerable amount of space for temporary storage of the boxes during the time intervening between tlie completion of the stripping process and the beginning of the topping or bottoming process and also loss of time and labor and liability of damage in handling, when moving the boxes from one machine to the other.

Because of the aforesaid objectionable features attending the use of two independent machines .in the complete box-covering operation, it has been the object of my present invention to provide a simple and eiiicient machine capable of use for performing either one or both of the two covering operations referred to, and thereby providing a more expeditious, convenient and economical means of covering boxes than heretofore.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forthin detail and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the front end of a box-covering machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view with certain of the parts broken away and showing the remaining operative parts vin a different posit-ion. Fig. 8 is an enlarged ldetail showing in top plan certain cutter and clutch operating devices together with'means for Vcontrolling their action. Fig. 4 is a plan of the machine as shown in Fig.'1'. Fig. 5 is Speecation of Letters Patent.

Application led January 25, 1907.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

Serial No. 354,048.

a vertical section through line 5 5 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow. n

Similar reference characters designate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The machine shown in the drawings as embodying my invention is similar in many of its main features to box-covering machines now on the market, the same comprising a body portion or bed 1 supported on legs 2 and having upriglits or posts 3 carrying side-bars or rails t which in turn support guide rods 5 by which the covering strip 7 is directed in its travel from the Vsupply-reel (not shown) to the cutters, it being understood that this strip will be coated with glue or other adhesive in any known manner before it is delivered to the box or box-blank on the box form or support. This form or support on which the box is placed preparatory to its being covered may be attached in any suitable manner to a rotary carrier, such as the shaft 8, the same in the present case, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. f1, being adapted to be held in place on said shaft between a flange or collar 9 and a clamp-nut 10. The shaft 8 is mounted in bearings in a bracket support 11 which is movable with respect to the main frame of the machine in order to permit adjustment of the box support with respect to the cutters according to the size of the box to be covered, the said bracket support 11 as herein shown being in the form of a swinging arm pivoted on one of the legs 3 and locked thereto in any desired adjusted position by means of a lever-nut 12. The bearing at the upper end of the arm 11 in which the shaft 8 is mounted is indicated at 14;, and at opposite sides of this bearing are located the driving mechanism for turning the shaft 8 and the driven mechanism for controlling the movements of the swinging cutter to be hereinafter described.

The main driver of the machine is herein shownin the form of a grooved pulley 15 which is adapted to be driven from any suitable source of power by a belt 16, as shown in Fig. 1. This pulley sho-wn in Fig. 1 is loosely mounted on itsvshaft and normally turns idly thereon, but it may be coupled thereto by any suitable clutch device, such as the sliding friction clutch 18, which permits the operator to start and stop the turning of the box support during the stripping operation as often as may be necessary. From the said main driver l5 power is transmitted to the shaft 8 by means of adjustable driving connections, which in the present construction shown comprise an extensible sideshaft- 19 driven from the main driving shaft by bevel gearing 20, While at its forward end the shaft 19 transmits its movement to the shaft 8 through Worm-gearing 2l which is shown as protected by a gear-case 22.

Atthe inner side of the bearing 14: the shaft 8 is provided with a cam Q3 formed with a gradual rise and a quick fall for the purpose of controlling the action of the movable cutter 24 through suitable connections and permitting itto cooperate with the fixed cutter 25 to sever the paper covering strip at the proper point in the box stripping operation. The connections between the said cam 23 and the movable cut-ter, which are so organized as to multiply the drop of the cam 23 and permit the movable cutter to have a Working stroke of considerable length, comprise a lever 2G, the short arm of which cooperates with the cam and the long arm of which is connected to a link 27, which latter in turn is adjustably connected to a short rock-arm 28 secured to a rock-shaft 29 With which the movable cutter supporting frame 30 is connected to be actuated thereby. Wlith these described connections between the cam Q3 and the movable cutter, each complete revolution of the cam, which occurs upon a like movement of the box-support in presenting the several sides of the box to be covered, operates to effect a release of the movable cutter at a proper time to permit it to gravitate toward the fixed cutter and coperate therewith in severing the covering strip, as shown nrFig. 2, and to thereafter raise the cutter to its normal position for the succeeding box stripping operation, as shown in Fig. l.

The rock-shaft 29 which carries the movable cutter frame 30 is mounted in bearings in the fixed cutter-frame 31 which latter in turn is carried on a standard 32 which is supported in a vertically adjustable position Within an opening of a frame bracket 33 by means of al set-screw 84 engaging therewith. By this means the cutting mechanism may be vertically adjusted to suit the requirements of the operator.

The machine as thus far described is more particularly adapted for use as a stripping machine, the same being actuated by clutchcontrolled power-operated mechanism. In

order to utilize the machine as a topping machine, however, the box support should be stationary and the cutter be manually controllable. The means for adapting the machine for such two-fold use will now be described.

The movable cutter 24 may be connected with its power-actuating mechanism in any suitable manner to permit of its being actuated indepcndently thereof and by manual means when it is desired to utilize the machine for the box topping operation. The means for so connecting the movable cutter with its power-actuating mechanism as shown in the present case comprises the adjustable connection between the link 27 and the cutter rock-shaft arm 2S which may be effected by passing the link loosely through an opening in a pivot-block 27 attached to the arm QS and adjustably connecting the parts by means of a set-screw 27". Thus when the machine is to be used as a topping machine the said screw Will be loosened to permit the cutter to be operated manually and independent of the power mechanism As it is desirable that the operator` should have the use of both hands in effecting the box covering operation, the power-mechanism clutch in the stripping operation and the movable cut-ter in the topping operation should both preferably be controllable by a foot treadle, and as Ya simple and desirable means for effecting such control of the said parts in t-he tivo-fold use of the machine, I have provided three manuallycontrolled so-called actuators, one of which isconnected With the critter, another with the power-mechanism clutch, and the third with a foot-treadle, and have provided further means for adjustably connectingl either of the said cutter or clutch actuators with the treadle-operated actuator according to whether the machine is to be used for topping or stripping purposes; it being understood that when the machine is to be used for topping purposes the cutter-actuator will be connected with the treadle-connected actuator in order to be rendered capable of treadle control, and that the clutchactuator will be disconnected from the said treadle-coimected actuator to render the power-mechanism inoperative and the boxsupport stationary. On the other hand,\vhen the machine is to be used for stripping purposes the said cutter-actuator will be disconnected from the treadle-connected actuator and the clutch-actuator will be connected with the latter to again place the power-mechanism under clutch-control. The three actuators referred to are indicated by the reference numerals 40, 4l, 42, and are all pivoted on a shaft 43 carried by a bracket 44 attached to the front end of the machine frame; the treadle-connected actuator 4:0 having connection with the treadle 45 through the medium of a connecting rod 46, the cutter-actuator tl having connection with the movable-cutter frame 30 through the medium of a connecting rod 47 and a pivot-- block 48 attached to said frame, and the clutch-actuator 42 (herein showny in the form of a bell-crank lever) having connection with the clutch 18 through the medium of a connecting-rod 49 andabell-crank lever 50, the latter being pivoted in a frame bracket 51 and having a forked arm 52 for engagement with the clutch within an annular groove therein in usual manner. Suitble means, such as the springs 54 carried by an overhanging arm of the bracket 44 and having connection with each oi' the three actuators 40, 4l, 42, operate to movably hold said actuators and their connecting parts in normal position and to automatically return them to such position after being operatedA from the treadle. The means shown in the present case for effecting connection with the treadle-connected actuator 40 of either the cutter or clutch actuators, comprise a bolt 55 slidably mounted in said actuator 40 and adapted to be entered at its opposite ends into openings in either the cutter or clutch actuators to effect connection therewith, inl manner as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. A radially-projecting arm 56 on the bolt 55 extending through an elongated slot 57 in the wall of the actuator 40 affords a handle for operating the bolt, and a centrally located wall portion 58 at the lower side of the slot 57 aifords a means for engaging with the bolt handle 56 to prevent accidental endwise movement of the bolt from locking posi- .tion with either the cutter or clutch actuconnect the movable cutter from its manu-' ally-operated actuator 4l, the screw 27 will be tightened or set to operatively connect the cutter with the power-actuating mechanism, and the bolt 55 will be adjusted to connect the clutch 18 with the treadle-connected actuator 40 to place the power mechanism under treadle control. When the machine as thus adjusted is set in operation the box-support carrier will be rotated to revolve the boX and have applied to its several side walls the covering strip, and the movable cutter will be operated at the proper time to sever the covering-strip, in usual manner. To now adapt the machine as a topping machine, the screw 27 will preferably be loosened to operatively disconnect the cutter from the power mechanism, the screw 48 will be tightened or set to operatively connect the cutter with its manually-operated actuator 41, and the bolt 55 will be adjusted to disconnect the clutch-actuator from the treadle connected or main controller actuator 40 and to connect the cutter-actuator therewith. `"With the machine as now adjusted, the box-support will be rendered stationary for the support of the box in the topping or end covering operation and the cutter will be manually controllable from the foot-treadle.

The ordinary type of box form or support vused in the box stripping` operation and indicated at 60 in the drawings may also be used in the boX topping operation, or a different type of box support, in the form of a table such` as indicated at G0 in F ig. 2 of the drawings, may be substituted for the support GO during the topping operation.

that I claim is:

1. A box-covering machine comprising a rotary box-support carrier, a movable cutter, power-operated mechanism for actuating said carrier and cutter, means including a connecting-rod and set-screw for eecting adjustable connection between said poweroperated mechanism and the cutter, a manually-operated cutter-actuator operative to actuate said cutter when the power-operated mechanism is inoperative, and means including a connecting-rod and set-screw for effect-ing adjustable connection between said manually-operated cutter-actuator and the cutter.

2. A box-covering machine comprising a rotary box-support carrier, a movable cutter, power-operated mechanism for actuating said carrier and cutter, a manually-operated cutter-actuator operative to actuate the cutter when the power-operated mechanism is inoperative, a contiaoller-actuator, and means for effecting connection of said controller-actuator with either the said power-operated mechanism or the manuallyoperated cutter-actuator.

3. A box-covering machine comprising a rotary box-support carrier, a movable cutter, power-operated mechanism for actuating said carrier and cutter, a manually-operated cutter-actuator' operative to actuate the cutter when the power-operated mechanism is inoperative, a controller-actuator, and means for eliecting connection of said controlleractuator with either the said power-operatedmechanism or the manuallyoperated cutter-actuator, and a foot-pedal operatively connected with said controller actuator.

4. A box-covering machine comprising a rotary box-support carrier, a movable cutter, power-operated mechanism for actuating said carrier and cutter, a clutch controlling the action of said mechanism, a clutch-actuator', a manually-operated cutter-actuator, a controller-actuator, and means for effecting connection of said controller-actuator with either the said clutch-actuator or the manually-operated cutter-actuator.

5. A box-covering machine comprising a rotary box-support carrier, a movable cutter, power-operated mechanism for actuating said carrier and cutter, a clutch controlling the action of mechanism, a pivoted clutch-actuator, a pivoted manually-operated cutter-actuator, a pivoted controller-actuator, and means for eecting connection of said controller-actuator With either the said clutch-actuator or the manually-operated Cutter actuator.

6. A box-covering` machine comprising a rotary box-support carrier, a movable eutter, a power-operated mechanism for actuating said carrier and cutter, a Clutch controlling the action of said mechanism, a clutchactuator, a manually-operated Cutter-actuator, a eontrolier-actuator, and a bolt slidabiy supported by the controller-actuator and being movable to engage With either the said 15 `clutch-aotu'ator or the' manually-operated cutter-actuator.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 27th day of November, A. D. 1906.

CHARLES B. BALDWIN. Witnesses:

CHAS. F. DANE, M. E. STANTON. 

